Daily Inspiration: Meet Shaw Morris and Kelly Warren

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaw Morris and Kelly Warren.

Hi Shaw and Kelly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Mahj Squad really started with friendship and a love for the game. Kelly and Shaw are longtime friends who both fell in love with Mahjong — not just the game itself, but everything that comes with it. It’s such a fun way to connect, laugh, and spend time together, and we quickly realized it was about so much more than tiles on a table.

We started teaching our friends, then their friends, and it just kind of snowballed from there. Before we knew it, Mahj Squad was born! From the beginning, our goal was simple: to make Mahjong approachable, social, and fun.

What started small has grown into this amazing community of players all over Colorado and beyond. We now have a wonderful team of women who teach in Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Minneapolis — and we even travel for lessons and events.

At the end of the day, it’s all about connection, laughter, and love of the game. Whether we’re hosting a social club, a private party, or a retreat, our favorite part is watching people come together and build friendships through Mahjong.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s definitely been a little bit of both — in the best way. Mahj Squad grew pretty quickly and really organically, which was exciting but also a little wild at times! When we first started, we said yes to everything. We were teaching multiple times a day, hauling sets and tables all over town, and just figuring things out as we went.

We’ve been so lucky, though. As we grew, we met the most amazing women who shared our passion for Mahjong and wanted to be part of the fun. Building our team has been such a game changer — it’s allowed us to keep saying yes to lessons and events while still having time for our families (and a little sleep!).

So yes, there have been bumps and late nights, but mostly it’s been a joyful kind of busy — the kind that reminds you you’re doing something you really love.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Mahj Squad, we teach and celebrate American Mahjong in a way that’s social, approachable, and fun. We offer everything from private lessons and beginner workshops to social clubs, retreats, and corporate events.

We specialize in making Mahjong feel easy to learn and inviting for everyone. A lot of people think the game looks intimidating, but once they sit down with us, they realize how fun and social it is. We’ve built this wonderful community of players who not only love Mahjong but have also found new friendships through it.

At the end of the day, it’s about more than Mahjong — it’s about bringing people together.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Denver is such an amazing place to teach Mahjong because there are so many wonderful neighborhoods and venues to partner with. We love that we can be in Cherry Creek one day, Golden or Boulder the next, and downtown after that — each spot has its own vibe and community.

We’ve been lucky to team up with some of our favorite local stores, restaurants, and gathering spaces all around town. Those partnerships make every lesson feel special. People get to enjoy great food, shop local, and play Mahjong all in one fun, social setting.

Denver really embraces community and connection, and that’s exactly what Mahjong is all about. It’s the perfect city for what we do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mahjsquad.com
• Instagram: @mahjsquad